


Get Wilde: The Vulture’s Shadow

by BluestheCriminalWhirlwind



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Danger, F/M, Female!Fangmeyer, Friends to Lovers, Gun Violence, Happy Ending, Interspecies Relationship(s), Interspecies Romance, Minor Injuries, Mutual Pining, Predator/Prey, Predjudice, Secret Crush, Skye is Nick's Sister, Small Crossover with Beaststars
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-17 06:07:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29095488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BluestheCriminalWhirlwind/pseuds/BluestheCriminalWhirlwind
Summary: Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps’ friendship survived Bellwether’s insidious plot. Battered and weakened, the pair would find themselves at Nick’s home, where Nick’s distraught baby sister and a wounded jackrabbit would be waiting for him.And with their arrival, Nick and Judy will quickly realize that Bellwether was a walk in the park compared to dealing with Nick’s former life, a new insidious threat looming over the city, and their evolving feelings for one another.
Relationships: Fangmeyer/Wolford (Zootopia), Haru/Legosi (BEASTARS), Jack Savage/Skye, Judy Hopps/Nick Wilde, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 64





	1. After the Credits

**Author's Note:**

> Ahoy-hoy ZOOTOPIA FANDOM! I am a new fan of this movie and found the world and characters exciting, so I decided to dip my toes into this fandom. So, I hope you all enjoy it!

"I can't believe that worked!" Judy exclaimed as she sat beside Nick at the edge of the ambulance, a nurse bandaging her wounded leg. "I even got to say a cool one-liner at the end. Cheese and crackers, my family won't believe this!" Judy cheered as she pumped her arms in the air.

Nick looked exhausted but had a small grin on his face as he listened to Judy's excited tone. The two had just busted Bellwether's plot, and now the duo was being looked over by nurses. Nick had suffered two broken ribs from that Ram headbutting him, and Judy would be on bed rest for a few weeks due to the gash on her leg.

It hadn't been the first Nick received medical care after some injuries, and until tonight, he hoped he would never have to deal with this type of pain again.

It just goes to show that Judy, once again, subverted his expectations of how things should have gone in his life.

"Such an excitable bunny," Nick murmured with a small chuckle.

"And all done, Mr. Wilde," The ewe nurse told him as she finished wrapping up his torso. Nick looked down at his bandaged chest.

"Thank you," Nick said with a weary smile on his face before he looked to Judy and said, "Yes, yes, Fluff, we kicked tail and took names. How is your leg?"

Judy looked at her bandaged leg and said, "It still hurts, but I'll be okay." She then looked at his unbuttoned shirt, which revealed his bandaged-up chest. "What about you? Are you okay?" Judy asked with concern.

"I'm okay. Shocked I only came out of it with two broken ribs," Nick breathed out before he gave a slight wince. "Ugh, remind me to never go any other adventures with you, Carrots. I'm getting too old for this," he told her with a teasing gleam in his eyes.

Judy laughed and punched his arm lightly. "You're only thirty-two," Judy told him.

"With all the dangerous situations we were in before our three-month break, and then tonight, I feel fifty-two," Nick joked, but his grin died down when he saw Judy's amethyst eyes glistening with tears.

"Nick. I can't even begin to thank you for helping me," Judy said.

"What?" Nick drawled out. "Come on now, all I did was stand there and look pretty. You did all the hard work."

"It was your quick thinking that gave us the edge Nick," Judy told him. "Swapping those pellets with blueberries? I could have never thought of that on my own. Heck, I wouldn't have even gotten this far without you in the first place."

Judy looked down at her hands, her ears drooping. "It only makes what I did to you so much worse….." she whispered.

"Hey, hey, come on," Nick said quickly. "Turn that frown upside down, will you? I-"

Judy put a hand to his mouth to stop his next words. "Wait," Judy told him. "I know what you're going to say. You're going to say that I learned my lesson for being such an ignorant, bigoted, dumb bunny and that you've already forgiven me, but that doesn't change the fact that hurt you."

Nick's eyes narrowed before he smirked, lifted his right hand, and hit Judy on top of the head. "Ow!" Judy exclaimed as her hands went to the top of her head. "Gosh darn it, Nick, what was that for?!"

"Why does it matter? It's in the past," Nick said with a smarmy grin.

"That freaking hurt," Judy grumbled.

"Yeah. The past can hurt Hopps," Nick admitted. "But you can either wallow in it," Nick raised his hand to bop her head against, but just as his hand was going to connect, she caught his wrist. "Or learn from it," he finished.

Judy blinked before she let out an incredulous laugh. "Did you just quote the "Lion King" at me?" she asked.

"Ah, you know your movies," Nick said with a wink.

Judy giggled out, "You are a sly fox."

Nick gave her a wide grin while he said, "Well, I do try Fluff."

Judy yawned and rested her head on Nick's shoulder and muttered, "I am exhausted and hungry."

"I could eat anything right now," Nick replied as he rested his head on top of Judy's. "But, I think I'd rather sleep," he finished before he yawned out, "What a day."

"What a day…." Judy repeated in a whisper.

"If this were a movie, this would be the moment where admit our love to one another and have the credits roll on a freeze-frame of us kissing," Nick joked softly, which made Judy snort sleepily and nestle her head against his arm.

"Dumb Fox," Judy softly teased, despite the inside of her ears turning red.

Nick grinned.

"If this was a movie, what song would be playing right now?" Judy mumbled as she closed her eyes.

"It has to be something slow and gentle. Something that talks about us being all devoted to one another, I guess," Nick said. "Got any ideas?"

"I think I have one," Judy whispered.

"Well? Spill," Nick told her as he nudged her slightly.

Judy chuckled and said, "No, I don't think I will."

"Alright, fine, keep your secrets," Nick told her with a grin.

The two shared a soft laugh.

"Hey, Nick?" Judy whispered as she began to doze off.

"Yeah, Carrots?" Nick gently replied.

"Thank you for not leaving me. I couldn't have done this without you," Judy told him softly.

"Well, hey, what can I say except you're welcome?" Nick replied before he noticed she had dozed off. "Poor thing. Her energizer batteries must have finally run out," Nick whispered as he gazed down at her affectionately before he looked out at the moon.

"Ah, the moon is beautiful tonight," he whispered.

As much as Nick did not want to admit it, he was afraid that he would never be able to gaze upon the moon again due to the absolute chaos that reigned in this city. But he had done it. He survived with his sanity intact and his friendship with Officer Judy Hopps stronger than ever.

But unlike the end of a movie, life would continue, and he had to figure out what to do next.

It was then his mind began to replay a scene he often thought about during his time apart from Judy.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
_"You should be up there with me. We did this together," Judy said with a smile on her face._

_"Well," Nick drawled out. "Am I a cop? No. No, I am not."_

_"Hm. Funny you should say that. Because, well, I've been thinking. it would be nice to have a partner," Judy said as she gave Nick a ZPD application. "Here, in case you need something to write with." Judy then gave Nick her carrot pen._

_Touched, Nick took the pen and smiled at the bunny._

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nick's eyes softened as Judy mumbled in her sleep, her paw gripping at his arm before she settled back to sleep.

Was he considering being her partner again even after their three-month breakup? Sure, he had forgiven Judy and made peace with their past after her confession but to become a cop just on a small bunny's suggestion was crazy.

Then again, it wouldn't the first time someone like her convinced him to do something outlandish.

Nick reached into his right pocket, pulled out a lollipop, and stuck it into his mouth before he glanced at Judy. Nick chuckled and fondly murmured, "The things I even consider doing for this chaotic, cute bunny."

It was then Nick noticed Chief Bogo approaching through the crowd of news reporters. Nick sighed as the imposing buffalo stood in front of him. Chief Bogo glanced at the sleeping Judy, then back to Nick and said, "I don't often say this to a Fox but thank you for your service in assisting Officer Hopps in busting the case."

Nick shrugged, which caused his shirt to drift down his right shoulder. With a burst of panic, Nick slid the shirt back over his right shoulder immediately while he responded with, "She bribed me with blueberries. Had no choice to help then."

His hopes were crushed when Chief Bogo's eyes widened before narrowing suspiciously. "I knew you looked familiar," The chief hissed out.

"What can I say? It's not every day you see such a handsome specimen like myself, Chief Bogo," Nick quipped, trying to keep his voice calm.

Chief Bogo narrowed his eyes. "When I first saw you again in that pit, I remembered that you were the Fox that helped Officer Hopps three months back, but after seeing that on your shoulder, I know the truth. Why are you here in Zootopia?" Bogo questioned.

Nick winced and looked over to Judy, who thankfully remained asleep. Nick looked back at Bogo and said, "Just keeping my head down."

Bogo leaned over until their noses were inches apart and whispered, "Is _he_ here as well?"

"How should I know?" Nick questioned. "I haven't seen _him_ in over nine years…"

Bogo narrowed his eyes and moved away. "Very well. But if anything happens, you will be the first I go after. Understood?" The buffalo firmly asked.

"Loud and clear Buffalo Butt," Nick replied.

Chief Bogo glowered at the name then said, "I ordered someone to take you and Officer Hopps to your homes. When she awakens…." Bogo tossed something at Nick.

Nick caught the item and looked down to see a badge in his hands. "Tell Hopps I never accepted her resignation and inform her that I expect her in my office on Monday."

"Will do," Nick saluted with two fingers.

Chief Bogo nodded before turning around and walking away, only to stop and look over his shoulder at Nick suspiciously before leaving the area entirely.

Damn it.

That keen-eyed buffalo did notice.

"Excuse me," A kind voice said from below.

Nick looked down to see a green-eyed North American River Otter wearing a sky blue shirt beneath a lavender sweater. Nick recognized her as Jasmine Otterton, Emmitt Otterton's wife.

And the only reason he knew that was whenever Emmitt would purchase some Pawpsicles, he would always brag about his wonderful wife and show off several pictures of her and his children. And thanks to Emmitt, Nick also knew that she was a cab driver for the city.

"I'm taking it you're our ride?" Nick asked with a smile.

"That's right," Jasmine said with a smile. "Chief Bogo called in for Officer Hopps and a fox to be taken home, and I couldn't help but offer my services. I owe both you and Judy a lot for helping my family and me."

Nick watched as the otter looked at both his wound and Judy's wrapped up leg. Concern appeared in her eyes as she asked, "But he did not mention that you two were hurt. Are you two alright?"

"I'll be fine after some rest," Nick said. "As for Hopps, well, I'll let her answer that for you." Nick then nudged Judy as he said, "Come on, Fluff, wake up."

Judy groaned and opened her eyes drowsily before she looked at Nick in confusion. "Did I fall asleep?"

"You did," Nick answered before he motioned to the small otter and said, "But I believe she has a question for you."

Judy looked to where Nick motioned, and Nick watched as her eyes lit up in recognition. "Mrs. Otterton!" Judy exclaimed in excitement.

"Officer Hopps!" Jasmine exclaimed as Nick observed Judy getting off the edge of the ambulance to embrace the otter happily.

And somehow, Nick knew it would be an hour before he could go home.


	2. A Glimpse Beneath the Mask

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick and Judy have a heart to heart and Skye Hopps enters the scene

"Thank you for the ride, Jasmine," Judy said with a smile on her face.

"For the heroes of Zootopia? Anytime," Jasmine said with a bright smile as the cab pulled up to a house.

The house itself was a small one-story modern farmhouse. It wasn't anything special, with its ceramic white paint and gray tiled roof.

It looked cozy from the outside.

"This is your place, Nick?" Judy asked as she looked at him in surprise.

"Yes and no. It's complicated," Nick replied.

"Well, I do hope you'll tell me more about it," Judy said.

"No worries, my dear Fluff. Everything is on the up and up," Nick said.

"Well, since we've arrived and the ZPD covered the tab, you two are free to leave," Jasmine told them sweetly. "You two be careful out there. And please do not forget about our dinner celebration once Emmitt recovers."

"We won't, Mrs. Otterton," Nick told her with a smile.

"Promise," Judy followed up with a smile of her own.

Nick stepped out of the car and held his right side before he leaned down. "Come, Judy," Nick said.

Judy nodded and moved over to the edge of the car seat as best as she could with her wounded leg and felt Nick pick her up. She could see the pain in his eyes as he slowly lifted her into his arms and out of the cab, only to see him wince.

"Careful, Nick," Judy gently admonished as Nick lifted her out of the back of the cab, her violet eyes locked on his grimacing face.

"I got you, Carrots," Nick told her with a strained smile.

Judy frowned and muttered, "Prideful Fox," before she looked at Mrs. Otterson and exclaimed, "Thanks again, Jasmine!"

"Have a good night," Nick followed up.

Jasmine waved to them before she drove off, leaving Nick and Judy in the street alone.

"Come on, Let's get inside before I collapse in a heap of pain," Nick joked.

"Nick…." Judy whispered. "I may have a weaker leg right now, but I'm not an invalid. You can sit me down if you need to."

"No can do, Fluff," Nick told her as he limped along the path to his home. "Can't allow you to injure your leg further."

"But you're hurting," Judy told him. "I can see it in your eyes."

"I've been through worse," Nick told her.

"Nick," Judy said softly, which caused Nick to stop. Judy grasped the sides of his face and felt emotion well up in her chest as she stared at his face.

"When I told you to be careful, It was not for my sake but yours," Judy told him firmly before her stern expression softened. "I've put you through the wringer, haven't I?" Judy asked him gently while she brushed his left cheek with her right thumb, ignoring the butterflies that fluttered in her stomach as she stared into his emerald green eyes.

Nick cracked a small grin. "We both put each other through it," he told her. "I put you through hell when we first met."

"You did," Judy admitted. "But I did hog-tie you into helping me. You had every right to be annoyed at me."

"Of course I did," Nick agreed with a toothy grin. "I mean, this sinfully cute bunny kept butting into my life and interrupting my hustling. Of course, I was going to be annoyed."

Judy punched his arm carefully while she said, "Don't call me cute, jerk."

But Judy would be ignorant to ignore how hot she felt from his compliment.

"But despite that, the company was not bad at all," Nick told her softly.

"Until I buggered it all up," Judy said, unable to stop the guilt from bubbling up to the surface.

"The conference truly bothers you, huh?" Nick asked her.

"It's not just the conference. This entire thing has bothered me," Judy told him as she looked away from him. "Looking back at everything, I was so reckless. I put a civilian in danger countless times. Fratinized with the kingpin of the underworld-"

Judy could have sworn she heard Nick muttered, "Debatable." But it was so faint that she was sure she imagined it.

"-nearly got us, and Weselton- "

"-Weaselton-" Nick interrupted.

"-Weaselton iced, caused massive amounts of property damage and tore this city apart by ramping up the tension between Prey and Pred because of my ignorance. And for what? For praise for being the first and best bunny cop on the force? Recognition for solving the case no one else could?" Judy finished as her ears lowered. "But the thing that bothers me the most is that I tore apart our friendship for that praise and recognition."

"And I already forgave you for that mistake," Nick told her.

"But how can I forgive myself, Nick?" Judy told him, her tone helpless. "All I wanted to do was protect and serve and help people. And yet, all I did was screw up everything. I screwed up the ZPD, Benjamin, the city I longed to be in since I was a child, and you."

Unable to hold back her emotions, Judy allowed tears to fall from her eyes. "For Creator's sake, Nick. I tore down the one person that believed in me when no one else did. I couldn't even mammal up and handle my mistake on my own after I realized the truth. Instead, I ran straight to you and begged for your help and put your life in danger again!" Judy tearfully exclaimed.

"And now look. You're hurt because of me, and you're still looking after me by inviting me to your home and carrying me, despite having two broken ribs. We're supposed to be partners, Nick. And yet, all I've done is take," Judy sobbed out as she buried her face into his neck. "It's not fair," Judy whimpered against him, her paws gripping at the left side of his unbuttoned shirt.

"You can't hurt the willing, Fluff," Nick replied as he placed a hand on the back of her head. "I went with you because the city was in danger of being torn apart from the inside out. But it was more to it than that."

Judy pulled away from Nick's neck and stared up at him.

Gently, she felt Nick wipe away her tears as he said, "Hey, this is one of the few times I'm going to let you peek beneath the mask," Nick told her softly with a small grin. "You better savior, Bunny."

Judy nodded slowly.

"I'll admit, when we first met, I did not have any faith in you," Nick began. "I've seen what this city, and many like it, do to naïve and optimistic people like you. It engulfs everything you are and leaves you broken and alone. But watching the lengths that you went through to crack the case made me a believer. It was because of that, and the fact that you saved my life, that I decided to stand up against Chief of Many Butts for you."

Judy giggled.

"But when I started to see you as a friend was when we took that ride. I saw compassion in your eyes. I had never had anyone, outside of my family, that looked at me that way. All that people saw when they looked at me was a shifty and untrustworthy Fox. You made me feel so much more than that," Nick admitted with a soft smile, his eyes filled with warmth.

Judy felt her ears heat up as she became entranced by his gaze before she tore her eyes away, her heart beating fast.

It scared Judy that it was so easy to lose herself in his gaze.

"Anyway," Nick coughed out, blinking in confusion for a moment. "What happened between us that day hurt me a lot; I won't bother to lie to you about that. It made me feel worthless and abandoned. It hurts when you finally meet someone that believes and trusts in you, only for them to leave you emotionally devastated. But the minute you came back to see me, I knew I couldn't let you walk away out of my life."

Judy glanced back at his face and softly asked, "Why?"

"Simple, really," Nick said with a lighthearted tone. "Foxes can be selfish, Hopps. Once they care about something, they are hardpressed in letting that go. Sure, I'm hurt, big deal. I care about you, Hopps. You're my best friend, and I'd rather be mauled to death than to let you go into a serious situation, like saving the city, alone."

"Besides, You said it best. We're partners. You couldn't do it without me. And as good as I am, and believe me when I say this, I am good. I couldn't have done it without you, either," Nick told her gently. "So stop feeling bad about what happened. Remember what I told you. You can either wallow in the past…."

"Or learn from it," Judy followed up before she let a broad smile appear on her face. "I don't deserve you."

"And I don't deserve you, my reckless bunny," Nick said. "There, we're even. I was a jerk to you, and you were a jerk to me. Now come on, Let's get inside before I drop you. You're heavy for a bunny," Nick whispered as he began to limp forward again, only for Judy to punch his arm lightly.

"Jerk," Judy whispered, albeit sweetly.

"You know you love me," Nick said as he approached the door, but before Judy could retort, she felt him stiffen.

"What's wrong?" Judy asked.

She watched as Nick sniffed the air before she saw him frown. "I smell blood," he told her. Judy narrowed her eyes while Nick grabbed the doorknob and turned it, and to her surprise, the door drifted open. "Aren't doors supposed to be locked?" Judy asked with narrowed eyes.

"Supposed to," Nick said as he walked into the house, his eyes narrowed in his teeth Judy had never seen Nick on edge before, not even during their adventure together. He walked down the entrance corridor and peered past the corner before she watched the tense expression fade away into a stunned expression before he whipped his head from the corner.

"What's wrong?" Judy asked in confusion.

Nick schooled his features immediately and said, "Oh nothing. I was not expecting to see them in this place after being gone for five years. Hold on. Ahem. Skye! Jack! Can you two stop cuddling?! We have company!" Nick exclaimed.

Judy could hear someone falling to the ground, followed by a feminine mammal's voice shouting, "Damn it, Nicky!"

Nick shot Judy a smirk.

Seconds later, the head of a vixen with light orange fur and blue eyes peeked around the corner with a frown on her face. "Why would you do this?" the vixen asked.

Judy noticed that the vixen was flustered and looked messy and dirty as well.

"Why did you not shoot me a message to let me know you were in town?" Nick countered.

"I did. Do you not check your phone?" The vixen asked.

Nick looked at the vixen in confusion before reaching into his pocket and lightly growled when he saw that the phone's screen was broken. "Well, that explains that….Also, you look like shit too," the vixen said before she looked at Judy and smiled.

"You also look like shit bunny. But then again, that makes four of us," the vixen joked before she stepped out from behind the corner, revealing her unbuttoned jean overalls, a tight black shirt, and a bandage around her left forearm, her right thigh, and right upper arm, both with splotches of blood on them.

"I'm so confused," Judy said.

"Oh, sorry, Carrots, This is my sister, Skye Wilde. Skye, this is Officer Judy Hopps," Nick introduced.

Judy's eyes widened in surprise before she hit Nick in the arm, which caused him to wince. "Why?!" he exclaimed.

"You never told me you had a sister," Judy said.

"It never came up," Nick retorted.

"Wait, this is Judy Hopps? The girl that had you all down in the dumps for the last three months?" Skye asked.

"That's me," Judy said as her eyes lowered.

Skye stared at her long and hard before she offered a smile and extended her paw. "Nice to meet you, Bunny Cop," Skye said.

"Likewise, Skye," Judy said as she extended her paw and shook paws with the vixen.

"Now that Introductions are complete, what the hell happened to you, and why hasn't Jack gotten his lazy tail up to greet us?" Nick asked in concern.

Judy watched as Skye's smile faded away into an unsure expression, which made her stomach clench. "Was it bad?" Judy asked the vixen.

"It was," Skye answered before looking at Nick. With a grave tone, Skye said, "Jack and I were attacked two nights ago in Las Fangeles. We fled here to recover. Jack suffered the worst of it compared to me, so he's resting his wounds."

"Attacked? By who?" Nick asked with alarm

Skye took a deep breath as if she was bracing herself and then answered him with, "Nick, Aegyptius broke out of prison five days ago. He was the one that attacked us."


	3. A Sister’s Anger, A Bunny’s Sorrow

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skye and Judy have a talk while watching over an indisposed Nick and Jack.

Numb.

That was the feeling Nick felt as he stared at his younger sister. He could see her speaking to him, but he couldn't hear her words.

All he could hear was his heartbeat.

He couldn't understand it.

He felt light-headed.

He couldn't think.

His body trembled as he heard his heart began to beat faster. "Skye?" Nick breathlessly asked as he felt his grip on Judy loosen, his voice sounding weak. "Grab Judy," he told her as he held a concerned Judy out to Skye.

He could see Judy's beautiful eyes looking at him, and while he could see her reaching out to him as she said his name, her voice, like Skye's, was mute to his ears.

All he could hear was his heartbeat.

And the fluttering of wings.

"Thank you," Nick managed to get out before his vision faded to black, his body starting to fall backward, the sound of a dark, raspy laugh echoing within his mind as his body hit the ground.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Nick!" Judy exclaimed as Nick fell back to the ground, unconscious.

"That was….Well, that was pretty expected, actually," Skye sighed out before she felt Judy begin to squirm in her grasp. "Hey, hey, calm down," Skye told Judy, who continued to try and wrestle out of her arms.

"Nick just went down! I need to help him!" Judy exclaimed as she struggled.

"Fine," Skye said as she held out her arms and released her grip on Judy. She watched as Judy landed on the ground, only to wince in pain and fall to one knee, which immediately caused Skye to wince in sympathy.

"Sorry," Skye said with squinted eyes.

"That's okay," Judy replied with a painful expression on her face. "But holy moly, that hurt a lot," Judy grumbled out before Skye watched her slowly move to Nick's downed form and check on him.

It was such a weird sight to see a doe fret over a fox, especially her brother of all people. But then again, she had been doing her own fretting over a certain jackrabbit just before her brother showed up.

"I'm sure he's breathing," Skye told her as Judy continued to look over her brother.

Skye watched as Judy leaned back from him and then turned her head to look at her. "He broke two ribs tonight. I wanted to make sure he didn't get more injured by that fall," Judy explained.

"He broke his ribs?" Skye asked with concern as she rushed to Nick's side. Skye knew that Nick looked like shit due to the bandages wrapped around his torso but was unaware of his injuries or how bad they were. "How did he break his ribs?" Sky questioned.

"It's a long story," Judy sighed out.

"Well, let's not tell it while we're sitting in the hallway," Skye said as she wrapped her arms around Nick's body and slowly picked him up. "Whew, he's heavier than I remember," Skye quipped as she got a good hold on Nick's body and said to Judy, "Stay put, Judy. I'm going to lay him down with Jack, and then I'll come and get you."

Judy nodded, and Skye made her way out of the hallway and into the living room.

The living had a light-gray half-moon sofa with a circular glass table in the center of it. On the right side of the room sat two light-gray single-seaters, and on the left side of the living room was a light-gray fainting couch variation of a chaise.

And finally, there was a large flat-screen television that was mounted on the wall above the fireplace.

With steel-gray painted walls, wooden flooring, a wide bay window that revealed the house's vast backyard, and a brick-made fireplace in the wall, the living room was a cozy one in Skye's perspective.

Skye walked over to the half-moon couch and placed Nick's body on it before sparing a look at the chaise.

On the chaise was a jackrabbit with silver fur that had black stripes on his ears and cheeks. And while the covers covered the bottom half of his body, the top half showed that he was shirtless, and he had medical wrapping around his torso and left shoulder.

But on the jackrabbit's right shoulder sat an insignia that was branded into his skin.

The insignia held the image of a vulture's skull with open wings on both sides and a halo behind it.

Skye visibly shrank at the sight of the symbol that sat on the jackrabbit's shoulder before she looked away and saw that Nick's right sleeve had slipped down his right shoulder, revealing the same insignia that the jackrabbit held.

Skye pulled Nick's right sleeve back up to hide the image and then stood up only to see Judy hobbling to the living room entrance.

Skye gave an amused grin. "Didn't I tell you that I would be right back with you after I sat Nick down?" Skye asked her.

"I'm impatient. Sue me," Judy replied, visibly in pain.

Skye walked over to Judy and hoisted the bunny off the ground. "I'll make sure to note that," Skye said as she walked to a single-seater and sat Judy down in it before she plopped down in the other one with an exhausted sigh.

"Rough day," Skye sighed out.

"Ditto," Judy replied.

The two sat there in silence for a few minutes before Skye heard Judy ask, "Is that rabbit laying on that couch across the room?"

"That's Jack," Skye breathed out.

"The same Jack that you were snuggled up with when Nick and I showed up?" Judy asked, surprise lingering in her voice.

"I wasn't snuggled up with him," Skye corrected with a panicky tone. "I was making sure he was okay. That's all," she followed up, attempting to sound calmer than she felt at that moment.

"Okay," Judy replied.

It grew quiet again.

"So…." Judy began slowly. "You told Nick that you and Jack were injured earlier, right?"

"Yeah," Skye replied.

"What happened?" Judy asked before she hastily added on, "If you don't mind me asking, of course."

Nick had told her all about the doe that had forced herself into his life and then betrayed him at the conference during his three-month funk. And even though they seemed fine now, Skye could not trust Judy until the bunny proved trustworthy.

"It's a long story," Skye finally sighed out. "But I'd rather not say anymore until Nick wakes up."

"I can understand that," Judy said. "But for Nick to react like that tells me that whoever this Aegyptius must be bad news. Can you at least confirm that for me?" Judy asked softly.

"Aegyptius is bad news," Skye confirmed. "The worst news in our world, but that's for later. Why are you and Nick injured?"

"It's a long story," Judy sighed out. "But I'm sure Nick told you about it since he mentioned me to you before….Right?"

Skye had tried to keep a friendly demeanor with Judy. She honestly tried, but the combination of the anger she had towards Judy since Nick's drunken, depressed rant three months ago and the rage she felt about Aegyptius wounding Jack had taken her over the edge.

"Right," Skye confirmed with heat in her voice. "He told me how you butted yourself into his life, got him danger a few times, and nearly started a pred-vs-prey war in the city with your backward view on things. And when you were confronted by it by him, you reached for the Fox repellent and ruined the camaraderie that you two had built."

Skye then turned her head to Judy and asked, "That about sum it up?"

expected the bunny to try and argue or twist the events around, but to her surprise, Judy nodded. "Yeah, it does," Judy softly replied.

Skye felt the anger she felt leave her body as she looked at the saddened doe.

She legitimately felt bad at putting Judy on blast due to the evident guilt she saw on the bunny's face.

"I apologize for snapping at you," Skye said. "But you need to understand something. Nick doesn't let people in easily. So when he does, it means that he trusts and values you. He trusted you so much that he wanted to become a cop to be your partner. And with our past, that was shocking to hear, to say the least."

Skye looked away from Judy to gaze at Nick's unconscious form. "Nick won't ever admit it, but you did some real damage to him that day you reached for that Fox-be-Gone spray. Did you know that during these three months, Nick didn't eat, didn't sleep, and didn't work?"

"He didn't?" Judy whispered.

"No," Skye answered. "All he did was sit at the bridge, hiding from the world. I found that out thanks to Uncle Finnick because Nick stopped returning my calls a week after he called me, drunk off his tail."

Skye finally looked back at Judy and saw that the bunny's eyes were glistening with tears, but she did not cry. "I see…." Judy said before she took a deep breath then asked, "You know what's funny?"

"What?" Skye asked.

"I was the same way," Judy admitted as her ears lowered. "After I hurt him, I couldn't eat or sleep. And on the off chance that I did sleep, I wound up having nightmares of actually shooting Nick with that Fox repellent…."

Skye watched as Judy looked at her open paws and then closed them."I was so screwed up by what I did to Nick and this city that every time I looked in the mirror or at my badge, all I could see was the hurt look Nick had on his face and the flashes of the reporter's cameras. It was horrible."

"How bad did it get?" Skye softly asked her.

"Seeing Nick walk away from me was like watching someone take out my heart and tear it apart in front of me," Judy admitted with a haunted look in her eyes. "Bellwether was so pleased that I unknowingly furthered her plans that she tried to make me the face of the ZPD. But by that point, I couldn't do it anymore, so I resigned from being a cop and went back to Bunnyburrow, where I continued to languish until today."

Skye was surprised.

Nick had mentioned that Judy's dream was to become a cop during his rant to her the day after the conference, so hearing from Judy that she resigned from the force shocked Skye greatly.

"Nick says that it's okay and that he forgives me, but he doesn't understand," Judy whispered. "I caused so much pain and misery to him that day that something broke inside me, and I don't know how to fix i-it."

Tears fell down Judy's eyes, but she quickly wiped them and muttered, "I'm sorry. Teardrops seem to be a part of me nowadays."

"Hey," Skye murmured. "It's alright. Trust me."

Skye watched as Judy glanced at Nick's sleeping form. "Thank you for telling me what was on your mind. I deserved to hear every word. It just means that I have to do everything I can to make it up to him. Even if it takes a lifetime…."

Despite the sadness in Judy's voice, Skye could hear determination within Judy's words as well.

"Well, depending on how things will go, you may get to make it up to him sooner rather than later," Skye finally said.

"How?" Judy asked.

"That's simple, Judy," Skye said. "I know that you mean a lot to Nick, and judging from your story, you seem to care about him too. When he wakes up, I'm sure he'll tell you about Aegyptius and our past. You want to make it up to him, then don't be afraid of him and stick by him because he'll need you now more than ever."

"No matter how bad this situation with Aegyptius is, I am not going anywhere without Nick. Never again," Came Judy's reply.

Skye remained silent, but in her heart, she hoped that Judy kept true to her words.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that I'm harping on a bit regarding Judy's actions but trust me, that three-month absence and Judy's actions will play a key role in the story regarding her feelings for Nick. The next chapter will have Nick and Skye tell Judy about his past and also an appearance from our villain so until then!


	4. Past of the Emerald-Eyed Fox (Part I)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Nick, tell me what these eyes have seen.”
> 
> Nick awakens from his slumber to reveal his past to the amethyst-eyed bunny.

Nick let out a groan as he opened his eyes to a dark ceiling.

He slowly leaned off the couch and winced at his ribs.

They were sorer than he remembered. "By the Creator's above, this hurts," Nick groaned out as he looked around. Thanks to his night vision, he could see that Jack's unconscious form was resting on the chaise.

He then looked around to see that both Judy and Skye were sleeping soundly in their single-seaters. Nick swiveled on the couch so he could put his feet on the ground and stood up on his feet but immediately stumbled and fell onto one knee.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Judy's ear twitch.

Not wanting to wake her up, Nick stifled the painful yelp that wanted to escape and stood up on shaky legs before carefully creeping out the room. After grabbing some spare blankets, he returned to the living room and covered up Skye, give her a brief kiss on the crown of her head before he moved to Judy.

He gently covered her with the covers as well, but before he pulled away, he felt her paw grab his wrist gently.

Nick let out a gentle chuckle.

"How long?" he whispered.

"Just now," the sleepy doe replied as she opened her eyes, allowing Nick to gaze at them. He would never tell the enthusiastic bunny this, but one of the things he adored about Judy was her radiant, amethyst eyes.

Those eyes were the first thing that drew him to her. He admired how expressive and full of life they were. The first time he had seen them, he knew that he had to be careful with her because she would be able to pull any secret out of him with just a look.

And tonight was no different.

"You scared me," Judy gently admonished as she leaned up with a frown on her face. "When Skye told you about this Aegyptius mammals, and you fainted, I thought your broken ribs had pierced your heart or something…."

He could see her eyes watering slightly, but she did not cry.

Bunnies.

Always emotional.

"Well, I need to clarify something to you. One: Aegyptius is not a mammal. He's an avian," Nick began. "Two: I'm Nick Wilde. Unless I wanted it to happen, nothing could kill me," he finished with a wide grin on his muzzle.

Anger appeared in Judy's eyes. "You were nearly killed several times on our adventure," Judy whispered harshly.

"And yet, I'm still here. Thus proving my point, Carrots," Nick retorted with a gentle boob on her nose, which twitched several times.

"Cocky Fox," Judy muttered, but Nick could hear that there was fondness in her tone.

"You know you love me," Nick replied.

Judy hummed but did not respond to his bait. Instead, he saw a serious expression appear on her face. "Who is Aegyptius, and why did he cause that reaction in you?" Judy asked.

Nick could hear a cold and raspy laugh echo within his mind and let out a faint growl, only to stop when he saw concern in Judy's eyes, but he also saw something else that he couldn't place. "Sorry," Nick replied.

"T-That's okay," Judy replied.

There was a strange tone to her voice that Nick never heard before it and confused him. But he shrugged that thought off and said, "I'm not surprised you've never heard of Aegyptius. He was locked away at Crossroads for nine years."

"Crossroads?" Judy asked.

"Crossroads is a prison where every high-risk, dangerous felon from all locations of their world was locked away. It was supposed to be nigh-impenetrable for escapes, but now, that claim has been debunked," Nick said wryly.

"I see. So he was a criminal?" Judy asked.

"Not just a "Criminal" Carrots. He was the leader of a feared mob organization back in Howlifornia. The Carrion Wings," Nick explained. "He is a Griffon vulture. Can fly at speeds of twenty-two miles per hour and is one ugly beast."

A smirk appeared on Judy's muzzle.

"I should correct myself. Most Griffon vultures can fly at that speed. Aegyptius is faster than that. He could outrace Jack and me in a heartbeat, and we're pretty fast when it comes to mammals," Nick added. "Which is what made him so terrifying…."

"How did you know him?" Judy asked.

Nick took a deep breath and shut his eyes. "Before I tell you how, I need you to promise me something…." Nick softly told her.

"After everything I've said and done, I'll do anything you ask of me. You name it," Judy told him gently.

Nick kept his eyes closed, afraid to even look at her beautiful face as he told her, "Promise me that you won't holding anything I did when I was younger against me. I was not the same person I am now and I'd hate to lose you because of my past mistakes."

"Nick…." Judy whispered.

"Do you promise?" Nick asked her.

It was quiet for a moment before Nick felt Judy grip his wrist and lift his paw to her chest, where he felt her beating heart beneath his paw. "Open your eyes," Judy told him.

Nick hesitated before he opened them, and when he did, he saw that a soft expression was on her face. "You are my best friend and the person I trust more than anything," Judy told him gently. "On my life, I promise you that I will not hold anything against you, nor will I think badly of you."

Thanks to the beam of moonlight coming from the window on his left, Judy's amethyst eyes were glittering with trust and adoration.

And the sight of this caused his heart to flutter.

She looked enchanting.

"Thank you, Judy," Nick whispered, finally finding his words after gazing upon the beautiful bunny before him.

He heard the soft gasp Judy let out, no doubt due to him using her actual name, but he figured that this was too important to use his favorite nicknames on her.

"Okay…." Nick breathed out. "The reason I know so much about Aegyptius is that, from the age of fifteen to twenty-four, I was part of the Carrion Wings. First as unknowingly lackey, then the personal assistant to the Godfather and then as its boatman, or as everyone else would call it, its assassin…."

Judy gasped, which made Nick wince.

"You? An assassin?" Judy murmured in disbelief. "But, how could that be? You never hurt anyone during our adventure. Not even a fly."

"Because I couldn't allow myself to think the way I used to," Nick admitted. "When I use those skills, it's like a switch. If I hold an actual gun, not the serum gun, or think with murderous intent, you wouldn't see me as me anymore. You'd see him. It's why I was hesitant about the plan to take down Bellwether."

"What do you mean?" Judy asked.

"What if she noticed that it was blueberries in the gun and swapped them out with the serum? If I had gotten hit with the serum, I wouldn't go savage. I would go back to him," Nick explained solemnly.

"And who is him?" Judy asked.

Nick hesitated as flashes of emotionless emerald eyes flashed in his mind, the sound of gunfire and screams echoing within his mind, along with the cold, raspy laugh of Aegyptius. Nick clenched his eyes shut to drive out the noises before he muttered, "Charon."

That was the first time he spoke that codename out loud in nine, long years.

And it terrified him.

"Charon," Judy murmured, and Nick felt dread and disgust in his stomach. Hearing Judy say that creature's name felt like it was defiling her very soul.

He felt sick to his stomach.

"D-Don't," Nick murmured. "I don't want you to say that name….Not you," Nick told her in a whisper, still well aware of his sister and Jack resting.

Judy must have seen something in his eyes because she whispered, "You're telling the truth…."

"Of course I am," Nick whispered as he looked down at the floor.

He felt Judy's warm paws slide against the sides of his muzzle and then lifted his head until he could look at her again. "Don't hide," Judy softly. told him. "I promised you that I would not blame you, and I won't But Nick, tell me what these eyes have seen," Judy whispered. "Don't leave anything out on my account, okay?"

Helplessly, Nick nodded.

"It started when I was young…." Nick softly began. "After the muzzling incident with the scouts. Our mother did not feel safe in Zootopia, so we left to stay with relatives in Las Fangales. Howlifornia, in general, is a pred city with prey civilians minimum to none, so Mom felt that Skye and I were safer there. And it proved true. I wound up with a lot of friends but also a lot of bullies who did not muzzle me but beat me into the ground a few times."

He could see Judy's eyes soften at this, but he continued with, "But one day, the beating was a lot worst than normal. Someone thought that I stole an item, and instead of just admitting that I didn't, I was me, and they showed that they really did not like me."

Despite himself, Nick chuckled.

"I was beaten until I was nearly dead, and then I was tossed into the garbage. Thankfully, someone noticed this and saved me," Nick said.

"Who?" Judy asked.

Nick let a soft smile form on his muzzle. "Her name was Honey….She was a honey badger and had bluish-green eyes. She was a kooky but extremely intelligent badger who believed that sheep were going to take over the world."

"Well, considering Bellwether, she would not be far off had we not stopped her," Judy said.

Nick snorted.

"If she were still alive, she would be singing, "I told you so" until her fur turned blue," Nick fondly said. "But anyway, she saved my life and nursed me back to health and gave me a job at her restaurant. It was there where I met Aegyptia, Aegyptius' older sister. She was an Egyptian vulture. She was benevolent and generous. Helped the community, hosted fun events, donated to charities, the whole nine."

"I'm feeling a big "but" coming on," Judy said.

"And you'd be right. For you see, she was the original Godfather or Godmother of the Carrion Wings," Nick told her. "No one would believe it if you told them back because of her image, but she was. And some of the things that her mob did were brutal."

"Wait, you said Aegyptius was a Griffon vulture, right? Why are they different types of vultures?" Judy asked.

"Aegyptius was adopted into the family after his parents were slain in a job gone wrong, and that's all we were told," Nick explained.

"I see….So you met Aegyptia, and what happened?" Judy asked.

"Well, Honey was her best friend, but Honey did not know about her true nature, and she must have told Aegyptia how good I was because she asked me to make a delivery for her one day. She offered me a lot of money for it too, so I accepted."

"Did you have to?" Judy asked.

"Mom was sick around this time and was unable to work. Skye was still in school, and she needed support too, so while I knew something was off, I couldn't let it slide," Nick admitted. "It started small at first. Deliveries every few weeks and would get paid a day after. Soon it became deliveries every week and then every other day. Soon, Aegyptia wanted to talk to me."

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_"Hey Aegyptia, you wanted to see me?" A fifteen-year-old Nick Wilde asked as he stood in a dark room._

_The room was gothic yet royal in design. Its painted black walls and regal purple drapes with gold edges hanging in front of the windows, a Victorian couch that sat against the left wall, and plush Victorian era single-seaters throughout the room._

_In the middle of the room sat a mahogany desk where Aegyptia sat._

_Aegyptia was an Egyptian vulture with a white-colored plumage, white feathers with black flight feathers in the wings. Her slender and long bill was pale white with the tip of her upper mandible hooked, and she had brown eyes._

_She wore a regal purple suit with gold edges and a furry black coat that hung off her shoulders. "I understand that you are nocturnal, Nicholas, so do forgive me for this morning's meeting," Aegyptia told him with a kind tone. "But I requested you be brought here because I have a job proposition for you."_

_"A job?" Nick asked. "I already have a job."_

_"You do, and my job will not interfere with your job at Honey's Luncheon. I would not want to steal you from her," Aegyptia joked before she became serious once again. "But I have noticed that you have a strong work ethic, and that is hard to find. Especially in my line of work."_

_"Thank you," Nick said with a bashful expression._

_Aegyptia chuckled then said, "You are very welcome, Nicholas. The job is a simple one. I want you to be my assistant. You are to run my errands, relay orders that I may have for some of my….workers, and be my driver. You will get paid bi-weekly, It is from 5:30 P.M – 3:00 A.M, and it will be a one-hundred and fifty dollars an hour job."_

_Nick's eyes bulged out in shock._

_That would be more than enough money to not only get his mother's medicine but to support his family through anything. Add in Honey's job, and his family would never go hungry again. "I'll do it," Nick said._

_"Just like that?" Aegyptia asked before she chuckled. "You got the job, Nicholas."_

_'T-Thank you. I won't let you down," Nick said._

_"I know you won't," Aegyptia replied._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that is the end of this chapter. So the next chapter will explore Nick's time with Aegyptia, how he met Jack and the eventual change from Nick to Charon. Until then!


	5. Past of the Emerald-Eyed Fox (Part II)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Nick, tell me what these eyes have seen.”  
> Nick reveals more of his past, his first meeting with Aegyptius and his fall into the Emerald-Eyed Boatman.

"And just like, I was in," Nick told Judy with a frown. "For two years, I was Aegyptia's personal assistant, but she never allowed me to know about the inner workings of what she did. I think it was her way of keeping me safe since she knew Honey cared about me, and I had fun. I was making more money than I could ever dream working these two jobs, everything at school was going great, and mom's health was on the upswing."

"Then the other shoe dropped?" Judy asked.

"The other shoe dropped," Nick answered, his ears lowering. "And it dropped hard."

* * *

_A Seventeen-year olf Nick Wilde sat strapped to a chair with a single light fixture over his head. "W-Where am I? I want to go home!" Nick exclaimed in terror as he looked around._

_In the darkness, he could see a pair of yellow eyes with red irises staring back at him. "Hello, Nick Wilde," A voice rasped out. "Do you know who I am?"_

_"I think I would remember eyes like yours," Nick answered, trying to keep his fear in check._

_Nick heard a raspy laugh in response. "I am Aegyptius. Brother of Aegyptia," Aegyptius told him._

_"Carrion Wings?" Nick questioned. "Who are they?"_

_"You worked for my sister and yet did not know of the Carrion Wings?" Aegyptius hissed out._

_Nick was genuinely confused. "No. I was her personal assistant, but she just mostly had me drive her around town. What are the Carrion Wings?"_

_"You really do not know," Aegyptius whispered in disbelief._

_Another raspy laugh echoed around the room. "That must mean that my dear sister did not want you to know," Aegyptius rasped out. "Tell me something, Nicholas. How often do you drive my sister around town?"_

_"Every night," Nick answered hesitantly. "Why do you ask?"_

_Aegyptius did not answer for a moment, and it put Nick on edge. "I want you to do me a favor. Tomorrow night, I want you to take my sister to the Cricket King a few blocks from here," Aegyptius told him. "When you do, you will see a sign that says that the drive-thru is out of order. You will park in the middle parking spot and will enter the joint."_

_"W-Why?" Nick asked._

_There was silence once again. "Tell me something, Nicholas. Do you love your family? You mother, Vivian, and your little sister, Skylar?" Aegyptius questioned._

_Nick felt his heart drop into his stomach._

_"Do you wish for them to be safe and sound? To have no damage brought down on them?" Aegyptius continued._

_"W-What do you mean?" Nick questioned._

_Aegyptius whistled, and two screens appeared above the red eyes. It was there that Nick saw his mother, Amelie Wilde, and his baby sister, Skye Wilde, on the screens._

_His mother and sister were tied to a chair, and blindfolds covered their eyes, but Nick could see the terror on their faces._

_The eyes narrowed, and it was there that Nick saw the pure malevolence within them._

_"You will do what I ask of you tomorrow night, and you will not tell a soul. Otherwise, you will see what I have planned for your dear sister and mother. And trust me, you will not like what those plans entail. Am I clear?" Aegyptius asked him, a threatening tone heavy in his voice._

_"C-Crystal," Nick replied in horror._

* * *

"That monster!" Judy exclaimed with horror and anger. "He kidnapped you and your family?!"

"Keep it down," Nick told Judy with a panicked expression.

"How can I? He forced you into something with these vile intentions!" Judy yelled.

"Stop yelling," Skye grumbled as she drifted off back to sleep.

"Judy, keep your voice down," Nick pleaded.

Judy panted but shut her eyes and nodded. "Alright," she murmured, but Nick could see the fury burning within her eyes.

"I'm sorry," Nick told her. "I know this is upsetting, but Skye doesn't sleep well at night because of this incident, so I want her to get enough rest as possible."

"Too late for that," Skye murmured as she sat up in her chair.

The fury in Judy's eyes melted away into guilt as she looked over and said, "I'm sorry, Skye."

"Don't sweat it, Bunny Cop," Skye told her with a smile. "I'll be going back to sleep two hours from now. But judging from your anger-" Skye paused to yawn, then continued with, "-Nick told you about our first meeting with Aegyptius."

"Yeah…" Judy said. "To think he kidnapped you guys."

"He hired a bunch of goons to break into our place in the middle of the night and then took us somewhere," Skye said. "Ma and I had nightmares for years after that. We didn't even know why until Nick told us after….Everything went down."

Nick's ears lowered again, alongside Skye's, as he said, "It was the worst day of my life. I went from an ignorant kid loving his job into being the cause of Aegyptia's death, the cause of Aegyptius' rise as the new Godfather, and the cause of my downfall into that life…."

"How did she die?" Judy asked.

"I'm curious too because you never told Ma and me how Aegyptia died," Skye said.

Nick sighed.

"I was driving Aegyptia the next day," Nick began.

* * *

_"Hey, Aegyptia," Nick began, his voice calm, almost detached as he drove down the street. "I'm starving. Mind if I stop and get some Cricket King?"_

_"Sure, Nicholas, I am pretty hungry myself," Aegyptia replied with a kind tone._

_Nick nodded and took a right turn and saw the sign of Cricket King in the distance. "I must say, Nicholas, It has been a wonderful two years with you as my driver," Aegyptia told him. "Things have been so smooth without any issues."_

_"Yeah, it's been a blast," Nick told her, keeping the guilt at bay. "You've been the best boss I've had, even better than Honey. Don't tell her that, though."_

_Aegyptia laughed softly and said, "I don't think I will get the chance."_

_Nick stilled._

_"I'm not foolish nor blind to my brother's ambitions. I knew of his plan since this morning. The only reason I am here and not running is that the lives of your mother, your sister, and yourself are at stake," Aegyptia explained. "If my foolish brother had waited just two weeks more, this cancer would have taken my life, he would have what he wanted, and you would not have been placed in this terrible situation. I would have been able to release you from service next week, and you would have been able to live your life In peace with your loved ones. But because I did not release you early enough, I put you here, and I put your family at risk."_

_"Why is this happening?" Nick finally asked as he stopped at a stoplight, the Cricket King only five minutes away._

_"My brother covets power, Nicholas. He always has. When my family took him in, we tried to keep him out of this life of misery and death. But the money, the fame, the respect, and the power was too alluring for him to resist," Aegyptia explained._

_"And what is this life?"_

_"The life of the Mafia," Aegyptia answered._

_Nick felt his body seize up._

_"W-What?" Nick asked._

_"I am the Godmother of the Carrion Wings, Nicholas," Aegyptia answered. "I was groomed for this life for as long as I can remember. My mother was the Godmother before her mother before her. This is our life, and because of my foolishness, you are now entangled in it."_

_"Why didn't you tell me?" Nick asked with a drained tone._

_After everything that had happened, he didn't have the energy to get angry anymore._

_"Because you were a good kit, and I wanted to help you out. I just did not expect this to happen," Aegyptia told him. Nick drove into the Cricket King parking lot and parked in the middle parking spot, and sat there for a moment._

_"Before you go, as a final request from me. Tell Honey that I love her. That I always loved her, and I am sorry I waited so long to tell her this. Tell her that I will be waiting at the Oasis for her when she finally crosses the desert. Tell your mother and sister that I apologize for putting them in this situation."_

_Nick's shoulders slumped as tears began to build up in his eyes._

_"I will," Nick told her with a quivering voice._

_"Nicholas, you've been an excellent kit to me these last two years since we've known each other. And I understand what you are going through," Aegyptia told him with a kind tone. "But I want you to know that no matter what happens after today, you're a good mammal. Don't let anyone take that away from you. Take care and be safe."_

_"I'm so sorry," Nick told her._

_"So am I," Aegyptia replied._

_Nick opened the car door and walked to the Cricket King entrance, and in the glass, he could see two cars pull up on each side of the limo._

_And as he walked inside, he heard the gunfire._

* * *

Judy and Skye gasped in horror as Nick bowed his head.

"The thing I remember most from that night was the chaos," Nick told them with a haunted tone in his voice. "The sound metal puncturing metal. The screams of the civilians and the painful wails of Aegyptia. It lasted only two minutes, but it felt like a lifetime. When it was all said and done, she was killed."

"Oh no," Judy murmured.

"She was a great boss and a nice avian, despite what I learned about her actual affiliation in those last moments. I set her up for dead, and she accepted it to make sure the Wilde family made it out alive," Nick said.

"Oh, Nick," Judy whimpered as she took his paws into hers, but Nick pulled them away, his head still bowed.

"Don't," Nick whispered.

"Nick," Skye said, but Nick shook his head.

"The entire city mourned for her for about a month," Nick continued, his emerald eyes losing a bit of its glow. "Unaware of who she was. Aegyptius took the mantle as Godfather of the Carrion Wings, and Skye and Ma were free, alive, and physically unharmed. But for me? I wasn't. I lost a piece of my soul that day, and everyone knew it. But most importantly, Aegyptius knew it because he now had his claws in me and used them well."

"A few days after Aegyptia's funeral, Aegyptius ordered me to meet with him in Aegyptia's old office, and under the threat of harming Skye and Ma and blackmailing me due to my involvement in Aegyptia's death, he initiated me into the Carrion Wings," Nick explained.

Nick then took off his shirt and showed Judy the hideous mark on his body, and said, "This emblem was burned on my body, forever as a message of what I have done and what I would do for the Carrion Wings. For the next seven years, he would force me under duress to kill anyone that crossed him. If I refused even once, he would kill Honey, Skye, and Ma."

"He had me trained to use guns, knives, anything, and everything so I could do the job right. I went from a shaky, scared kit into an efficient weapon," Nick looked at his shaking paws, the glow in his eyes becoming duller. "That's all I was….Just a weapon…."

"Nick! Snap out of it!" Skye yelled as Nick continued to stare at his paws, unable to stop his mind from sinking into the memories.

So many mammals had met their ends by his paws.

"Nick!" Judy exclaimed with terror, her voice muffled as the screams of all those he had slain grew louder in his mind.

Without warning, his head whipped to the side, causing his dull eyes to return to their vibrant emerald-green. He looked at Judy, who seemed stunned before turning to Skye, who had her balled up paw in the air.

"D-Did you just punch me?" Nick asked in disbelief.

Skye lowered her arm and murmured, "You were doing it again."

"W-What just happened?" Judy stammered out.

"This is why we seldom talk about the past because Nick starts to disconnect whenever we do. It's why I was so worried when you and Nick had your falling out, Judy," Skye explained. "Nick suffers from Peritraumatic dissociation."

"How long this time?" Nick asked quietly.

"Five minutes this time," Skye solemnly answered before she looked at Judy and said, "Jack gets these as well, and I tend to have to hit him to snap him out of it. Which is why I hit Nick."

"Nick," Judy said as she took his muzzle into her paws. "We can stop this. I don't want you to go through that again."

"Judy, I'm sorry," Nick told her weakly.

Judy pulled him closer and hugged him as tightly as she could. "Dumb Fox."

"Nick, why don't you go lay down. I can take over and explain things to her from here," Skye told him.

Nick slowly separated himself from Judy and said, "No….I have to face this one day."

"Nick," Judy said.

"Judy," Nick whispered as he looked into her eyes. "Please…."

He could see her battling with herself for a moment before she said, "Okay…"

Nick smiled.

"Thank you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nick is going through some things but he'll be okay. The next chapter will be the end of Nick's dive into the past with meeting Jack, the incident that caused him to finally break and the first fall of this insidious villain. Until then!


End file.
